Patient airway management is a critical component of a successful procedure such as but not limited to surgical procedure wherein the patient is under heavy sedation anesthesia or monitored anesthetic care. As is known in the art, airway management is the process of ensuring that an open pathway exists between a patient's lungs and an air source as well as ensuring aspiration of the lungs does not occur. In fields such as anesthesia airway management is a primary consideration. Additionally, in fields such as clinical care, airway management is a high priority. If the patient's airway becomes obstructed or airflow is less than optimal the oxygenation of the blood will diminish or cease.
There are several common procedures that are used to improve airway management and ensure that the airway is unobstructed. One procedure is commonly known as the head-tilt chin lift procedure. For those patients that do not have cervical spine injuries this is the simplest way of ensuring that a patient who is either sedated or unconscious has an open airway. Utilization of this procedure will lift the tongue from the back of the throat thereby substantially reducing the probability of airway blockage.
Another procedure known in the art is the jaw-thrust maneuver. In this procedure a practitioner will use their thumbs to push the posterior aspects of the mandible in a generally upward direction. As the mandible is displaced forward, the tongue is pulled forward thus substantially preventing the tongue from blocking the entrance to the trachea so as to ensure a secure airway.
It is typical during surgical procedures when patients are sedated under heavy sedation anesthesia or monitored anesthetic care to utilize at least one of the aforementioned procedures to maintain a secure airway. Typically a support pillow is utilized to inhibit the lateral movement of the patient's head and additionally attempt to maintain a favorable position for a secure airway. One problem with existing support pillows utilized on patients in a supine position is the lack of structural support therein so as to effectively maintain a desired position for a secure airway. Most surgical support pillows are manufactured from a gel or other polymeric material that is to conforming and fails to effectively maintain a desired position of the patient's head and neck. Furthermore, conventional surgical support pillows do not engage the posterior of the mandible so as to provide a jaw thrust as described above to add a method of maintaining a secure airway.
Accordingly, there is a need for an airway management support pillow that can be utilized in procedures such as but not limited to surgical procedures that provides substantially rigid support for the patient's head and neck while additionally engaging at least a portion of the posterior of the mandible.